Colorado Business Group on Health (CBGH) released its thirteenth annual report, Health Matters Quality Report: Health Plans, on health care quality and consumer satisfaction of health plans.
The report features the results of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) satisfaction survey which asks consumers and patients to report and evaluate their experiences with health care. This survey of more than 4,400 Coloradans examines how plans perform on areas important to consumers, including health plan communication skills, customer service and the accessibility of services. The results are used to assess patient care, compare and report on performance and ultimately improve the quality of care. The survey was conducted on six state Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and four Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). The satisfaction survey summary findings are based on comparisons of selected categories to the average of all reporting Colorado HMO and PPO plans, respectively. Colorado Health Matters also features the results of Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS), a set of standardized performance measures developed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) which allows comparison across health plans in specific areas of care. HEDIS gives purchasers and consumers the ability to distinguish between health plans based on comparative quality instead of simply cost differences. The report reveals how well Colorado health plans measure up against one another as well as national prevention goals.